Folkestone Invicta 1-0 Chelmsford City

Folkestone Invicta enjoyed a big victory at the Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon when a 50^th minute goal from James Everitt gave Neil Cugley’s side a 1-0 win over league leaders Chelmsford City, writes Richard Murrill.

The versatile Everitt got forward from right back to volley at goal when striker Damian Abel did well to send the ball over from the left hand side. Goalkeeper Ashley Harrison got his hands to Everitt’s close range strike but could not prevent the ball from spinning back over the line.

It was perhaps fitting that it was 19-year-old Everitt who scored the only goal of the game as one of the eight Folkestone-based players in the Invicta squad of 16.

Several of the Invicta players earn only as fraction of what ambitious Chelmsford are able to offer their star-studded side but youngsters such as Everitt typify the character and spirit which the Folkestone side can call upon.

Football once again showed itself to be a strange game as Invicta’s previous home match had been a tame 0-0 draw against bottom-of-the-table Slough Town, the first of three consecutive games without a goal for Cugley’s side.

Now it is a case of just one defeat in their last eight matches and only one goal conceded in the last four matches as Invicta surely put an end to any lingering talk about relegation.

On-loan goalkeeper Richard Martin was again impressive for Invicta on what will be his last home appearance unless the club can extend its arrangement with Brighton and Hove Albion. Martin made one outstanding save to deny substitute Jason Hallett as Chelmsford piled on the pressure during the closing stages in a search of an equaliser.

Invicta have an unbeaten home record against Chelmsford stretching back to their Dr Martens League days, but this was always going to be a stern test against Jeff King’s high profile side which contains a wealth of Conference experience.

On a sunny afternoon, the strong wind was always going to be something of a leveller and the bobbly pitch was not to the visitors’ liking.

Goalkeeper Martin touched a Ricky Holmes shot from the right hand edge of the penalty area round the post for the game’s first corner after 11 minutes.

But Invicta had a chance themselves after 24 minutes when Chelmsford right back Jay Conroy made a saving tackle on Liam Friend when the home left back wanted too much time after a crossfield ball from James Everitt on the right put him through.

Prolific striker Lee Boylan poked the ball wide for Chelmsford a minute later when Martin saved but could not hold a Chris Duffy shot from the left hand side.

Chelmsford were wasteful from set pieces all afternoon, but a Stuart Ainsley free kick flashed across the Invicta goal from the right after 35 minutes when Friend was adjudged to have fouled striker Kezie Ibe.

And Chelmsford had penalty appeals ruled out by an assistant referee’s flag when Boylan collided with Martin following a free kick from captain Ben Chenery. Invicta fans behind the goal had earlier been adamant that Chelmsford goalkeeper Harrison had handled outside his penalty area to deny Abel.

Boylan headed tamely at Martin when Jeff Minton played the ball in after 47 minutes and Everitt’s strike was soon to end Invicta’s recent goal drought and send the visitors on their way to a ninth league defeat so far this season.

Invicta threatened to increase their lead when striker Abel lobbed over in the 56^th minute following a mix up between defender Conroy and goalkeeper Harrison after James Corbett played the ball forward.

Centre forward Ellis Remy then did not connect properly and fired wide after 59 minutes when the ball came down the middle to him.

But Chelmsford threw everything at Invicta during the final 20 minutes as Hallett’s cross from the left eluded both Minotn and Boylan in the middle after 73 minutes.

Holmes shot at Martin three minutes later when he shrugged off Ben Sly following Duffy’s crossfield ball from the left.

Martin then produced an exceptional save to keep out Hallett’s shot after 77 minutes when the substitute looked set to equalise after Boylan touched the ball back inside the penalty area.

You sensed then that it was going to be Invicta’s day but they still had to do a lot more defending as seconds later one-time Chelmsford player Kevin Watson made a saving tackle to deny Ize at the expense of a corner.

Hallett volleyed centre half Steve Ward’s cross from the left across the Invicta goal at the far post after 81 minutes just in front of Minton who only needed a touch close to the goal line.

Martin saved from Minton again during an almighty scramble close to the Invicta line in stoppage time.

But the Folkestone side held on to once again defy the odds and take all three points.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Martin, Watson, Sly, Flanagan, Friend, J. Everitt, M. Everitt, Abel (Jones 86), Remy, Corbett, Okikiolu. Subs: Guiver, Lamb, Burchell, Stonebridge.

CHELMSFORD CITY: Harrison, Conroy (Clarke 85), Duffy, Chenery, Ward, Manuella, Ainsley (Hallett 68), Minton, Ibe, Boylan, Holmes. Subs: Glover, Knight, McKinney.